[Transit] Termination of Bus 20 Route

Fri Jul 26 10:50:03 PDT 2024

I'm also down to meet with Martin/Metro and could make afternoons Monday to
Thursday work next week.

Thanks for setting this up!

On Fri, Jul 26, 2024 at 10:32 AM Wes Mills <wesmills at wesmills.com> wrote:

> (Oops, turns out I meant *not* Tuesday; so Monday or Wednesday through
> Friday from 1:30pm onward.)
>
> On Fri, Jul 26, 2024, at 09:30, Wes Mills wrote:
>
> I would do a meeting if folks are down.  Maybe Metro would feel like we
> heard them better if we did, versus a letter?  (I’m free Tuesday-Friday
> next week from 1:30pm onward.)
>
> I’m just glad they’re getting back to us on their thinking.
>
> On Thu, Jul 25, 2024, at 12:42, Katie Wilson wrote:
>
> Hi All,
>
> DeAnna Martin from Metro called me about this today. She wants to know if
> we’re interested in a meeting with Metro staff to discuss this, or if we’d
> prefer them to just put together a long letter. (I got the sense that their
> response is going to be that they’ve looked into a number of options and
> decided that they’re all too expensive and would require worse cuts
> elsewhere.)
>
> Do people want a meeting? It would be virtual of course. Let me know and
> if so what times work.
>
> Thanks!
> Katie
>
>
> On Jul 22, 2024, at 11:24 AM, Doug Trumm <dmtrumm at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Good to see they're working on a response. Nicely done, all!
>
> On Mon, Jul 22, 2024 at 10:53 AM Katie Wilson <katie at transitriders.org>
> wrote:
>
> Hi All,
>
> We got this reply this morning from Metro head honcho Michelle Allison.
> Below that I’m pasting an invitation from Solutionary Rail to a briefing
> about Amtrak Cascades.
>
> - Katie
>
> ———————
> Katie –
>
> Thank you so much for your letter regarding Route 20. I have asked our
> team to provide some additional information related to the situation and
> the options you outlined. I am gathering those details this week and will
> get back to you soon on what might be possible.
>
> Thank you,
> Michelle
>
> ———————
>
> Dear Katie and all at TRU,
>
> I want to make sure you get this invitation to a briefing on Amtrak
> Cascades service between Vancouver, B.C., Seattle, and Portland -- current
> plans for its improvement and its potential as the backbone of regional
> travel north and south. Perhaps you've already received an invitation from
> another volunteer in the Rail Can't Wait campaign orgs -- I hope so. If
> not, our apologies, as TRU has already signed onto this campaign!
>
> *WHAT*: Advocate Insider Briefing - Amtrak Cascades
> *WHEN*: Wednesday, July 31st, 6:00p - 7:00p PT
> *WHO: *Organizations forming the Rail Can't Wait Campaign, for mode shift
> of passengers and freight from planes and highways to trains.
> *WHERE*: Zoom (virtual)
> *RSVP*: *Sign Up Here*
> <https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZItduCgpj0uHt1dLf4gE836znzd6A4XdMKv>
> 👈
>
> *WHY*: Well-planned rail is a climate and equitable transportation
> solution for travel beyond Washington's urban and rural places, and urgent
> action is needed!
>
> This is an exciting time for the Amtrak Cascades corridor, an opportunity
> to develop excellence in passenger rail service for mobility,
> transportation equity, energy savings, and emissions reduction. The timing
> is crucial for making improvements *while federal money is available*.
> Today’s slow, unreliable service is not acceptable — we need a plan with
> ambitious state goals that serves the traveling public to deliver faster,
> frequent, reliable service.
>
> *Presenters* will include expertise from Solutionary Rail, Climate Rail
> Alliance, Washington Physicians for Social Responsibility, and 350 Seattle,
> including Thomas White, rail expert and co-author of the Long Range Plan
> for Amtrak Cascades (2006).
>
> *Topics*: The briefing will cover Washington State’s newly revised *plans*
> <https://wsdot.wa.gov/sites/default/files/2024-06/Amtrak-Cascades-2024-Preliminary-Service-Development-Plan.pdf>
> for Amtrak Cascades and why they’re inadequate for meeting our challenges.
> We will share our analysis and our top priorities for improving the Amtrak
> Cascades. You can ask questions and make comments, and we’ll offer specific
> ways individuals and organizations can make an impact.
>
> Please *RSVP*
> <https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZItduCgpj0uHt1dLf4gE836znzd6A4XdMKv>
> and join us on July 31. Feel free to share this invite with interested
> persons in your network!
>
> With thanks for your consideration,
> Mary Paterson
> Volunteer with Solutionary Rail
> 206-271-0251
>
> On Jul 16, 2024, at 9:27 PM, Wes Mills <wesmills at wesmills.com> wrote:
>
> Works for me!  I just finished clicking “accept” on all of the edits.
> Doug, I also moved your new paragraph to be third to give it what I
> perceive as more emphasis after the lead-in of “Metro, you’ve tried to do
> this before, please knock it off.”
>
> On Tue, Jul 16, 2024, at 21:21, Katie Wilson wrote:
>
> Thanks so much Wes for drafting this up, and Doug for your good edits. I
> think the letter is excellent and we should bring it to the MM on Thursday!
> Unless anyone has any additional edits, I can copy and paste this into our
> agenda document, and I can also include it in an email to members tomorrow
> evening so people have a chance to read before the meeting.
>
> On Jul 15, 2024, at 4:17 PM, Doug Trumm <dmtrumm at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Nice work, Wes! I offered some edits.
>
> On Mon, Jul 15, 2024 at 3:40 PM Wes Mills <wesmills at wesmills.com> wrote:
>
>
> Sorry for the delay, our dog got sick this weekend (she didn’t eat my
> homework!) and we got caught up in that mess.  Better now, so I had a
> minute to work on a letter:
> https://docs.google.com/document/d/1bM4i2vb-Joc1wXFb5NZiFWWp97z8BbXf_nw7-oL3GyU/edit?usp=sharing
>
> Hopefully this gets across a good message.  I was trying to balance the
> need for Metro to not make new gaps in the bus network alongside answering
> the potential “funding / staffing crisis” response alongside that several
> of the *new* routes Metro proposes to add will also be very useful (but
> those routes don’t have any riders speaking up for them).
>
> Wes
>
> On Thu, Jul 11, 2024, at 14:25, Wes Mills wrote:
>
> This is a good email.  I can take a swing at a letter tonight and send it
> out to the group tomorrow.  The below gives me a lot to go on.
>
> I’m thinking a one-page email (we don’t have to reiterate everything
> described below) that focuses on: access (can’t ride a bus that doesn’t
> exist); mobility (people who can’t drive need the bus); and service (Metro
> can’t keep on with cutting service when a train station opens).
>
> Unless folks object, I would also like to mention the “perception” that
> the 61—another desired bus route, but without as many vocal advocates
> because it is brand new so it has no rider population—is being “traded” by
> removing the 20.  We, as TRU, want both and what stops us from that?
>
> On Thu, Jul 11, 2024, at 14:11, Katie Wilson wrote:
>
> Sounds like their group had a meeting with Metro staff that CM Barón’s
> office helped to organize, and Metro staff presented the decision as a done
> deal. Jim forwarded me the follow-up email he sent to them, below.
>
> This will be on our agenda at next Thursday’s MM— if anyone wants to draft
> a letter that TRU could send to Metro, please do and we can consider it at
> our meeting!
>
> - Katie
>
> ——————————
>
> Dear KC CM Baron, CM Staff for D2 & D4, and KC Metro Staff,
>
> Thank you for organizing this meeting on the Bus 20 termination and for
> the presentation by KC Metro. Unfortunately, we are not persuaded that this
> was correctly decided. This decision to eliminate bus service north-south
> from Northgate to U-District through the neighborhoods of Licton Springs,
> Green Lake and East Wallingford was based on inadequate outreach to the
> community - a flyer this past summer mentioned “provide feedback to the
> Lynnwood Link Extension,” without indication that Bus 20 through our
> neighborhood was impacted.  None of us are aware of any mailers, public
> notices or any presence at community events.  And there was no
> representation for Green Lake or East Wallingford on the 15-member Mobility
> Board; 13 of the members were from far north King County (Bitter Lake 2,
> Bothell 1, Haller Lake 1, Kenmore 1, Lake City 2, Lake Forest Park 1,
> Shoreline 5). Further, the Equity Score did not consider students or
> seniors.  In your Metro presentation, you cherry-picked data when you
> stated that bus boardings on Latona are only 12% of Bus20 ridership. This
> is not just about Latona; this is about the whole south half of the Bus 20
> route, north-south from Northgate to U-District, west of I-5.
>
> We are concerned about the lack of acknowledgement of the impact on
> students and schools.  Many North Seattle College students live along
> Latona Ave. You blithely suggest alternatives. One of us tried out an
> alternative.  He walked 6 blocks from 52nd and Latona to Meridian and 53rd
> to catch Bus62, transferred to Light Rail at Roosevelt Station, then exited
> Light Rail at Northgate Station and walked across the John Lewis Bridge to
> NSC; the total travel time was ~40 minutes. The return trip from NSC to
> 52nd and Latona via Bus20 was ~15 minutes. So daily, to get to/from NSC
> that's an extra 50 minutes of travel time. Weekly that's an extra 4+ hours
> of commuting. This extra travel time imposed on these students represents
> significant harm.  Plus, it's less safe for students, especially young
> women, when during late Fall, Winter and early Spring they must walk long
> distances in the dark.
>
> Did you reach out to schools along the route?  We did.  7 schools cited
> the importance of the Bus20 for their students and staff - North Seattle
> College, University of Washington, Bishop Blanchet High School, Robert
> Eagle Middle School, La Esquelita, Little Explorers School and The
> Children's School (TCS).  Here's a quote from the Director of Communication
> for North Seattle College:
>
> "Bus 20 is a critical transportation option for North Seattle College
> students, faculty, staff and families in the area. Limiting or making this
> route unavailable in any way will have severe negative impacts on the
> diverse community the college serves. It will also affect the college's
> ability to appropriately serve the diverse community that it relies on for
> ongoing enrollment. This is a serious issue of equity and inclusion."
>
> Here's a quote from an administrator at TCS which serves 50 families with
> preschoolers ages 2 to 5.
>
> "My name is [FP] … and the #20 Metro Bus is very important to our
> non-profit business. We run a non-profit business that is on the #20 route.
> Over the years we have had not only staff members who regularly use that
> route to get to and from work but we have had families who use #20 to get
> their children to and from school. I currently have several staff members
> who rely on the #20 route and it would cause them and our preschool
> hardship if it were to be eliminated.”
>
> Here's a quote from the Little Explorers School:
>
> "I am the manager of the after-school program at Little Explorers Seattle.
> We provide after-school care for dozens of students at McDonald
> International Elementary School and rely on the #20 to transport the kiddos
> from their school to our location on Woodlawn and NE 72nd. Losing the #20
> would negatively impact our small business. It would negatively impact many
> parents, who would have to scramble to find after school childcare for next
> year. But most importantly, it would disrupt the social and educational
> development of the children who attend our program and ride the #20 every
> day. For these reasons, I am hoping that we will be able to save the 20, or
> at least ensure that another replacement route would continue to run N/S on
> Latona ave NE. Thank you for your consideration!"
>
> We are concerned that KC Metro does not seem to understand how profoundly
> this will adversely affect students and schools.
>
> Likewise, we don't think KC Metro understands how negatively this will
> affect disabled people and mobility-limited elderly.  You mentioned Sound
> Generations Hyde Transit and Paratransit.  Will these services really be
> reliable and able to accommodate the large number of now busless disabled
> and elderly users who need access to shopping, health care and light rail?
> Will these services be available to disabled people who are still working
> and must commute to/from work daily?  Here are some representative quotes:
>
> "I am a 65 year disabled person [56th near Latona] ... It is my only means
> of public transportation to get to the University campus, and to Northgate
> where my dentist and doctor are located. Furthermore, my disabled 24 year
> old niece who lives with us came to live with me and has completed one year
> of her studies (out of three) in library science, using this bus.
> Tragically she will have to move to new accommodation if this cancellation
> of the Route 20 goes through. I will have to turn to expensive private
> rides. I have lived at my address since 1992, paid the taxes and supported
> the re-curbing work throughout my neighborhood to help the disabled. I do
> not agree that students living within the corridor and close proximity to
> the Route 20 should have to move now in preparation of Fall quarter. I do
> not agree that there is sufficient public transportation for any disabled
> person living within the corridor and close proximity to the Route 20
> should be left without transportation."
>
> "I am a senior [at 77th and 1st Ave NE] without access to a car. I attend
> fitness classes in Northgate at least twice a week via 20 bus. My doctor
> and my dentist are both at Northgate and accessible to me only via the 20
> bus. I have a monthly doctor appointment. Other means of transportation are
> either unreliable or too expensive for me on a limited income. Please keep
> the 20 bus."
>
> "I don't have a car and I have a disability and am unable to walk very
> far. I live in the South Green Lake neighborhood. I take the #20 bus to
> church in Green Lake. I take the 20 to connect to the 44 to travel to
> Wallingford and Ballard. I take the 20 to travel directly to the University
> District to do business and connect to light rail. I take the 20 to do
> business in Northgate and Lake City. The 44 and the 62 are too far away for
> me to walk to. If the #20 is discontinued, I will have no way to travel
> anywhere on public transit. I will lose my ability to travel anywhere
> independently. The biggest loss will be that I will not be able to go to
> church. The #20 stops right next to my church and there isn't any other bus
> route that travels up first avenue in Green Lake. Please do not discontinue
> the #20 bus. The route is essential for me to be able to travel the places
> I need to go every day on public transit. Thanks for listening."
>
> "I have multiple sclerosis and the 20 bus makes it possible for me to do
> the things I need to do in life on my own — grocery shop at PCC, visit
> doctors at UW, do volunteer work at UW’s botanic gardens. I’m about to take
> it home with heavy grocery bags right now. Without it I will be much less
> independent. I do not drive, so I’ll need to take Ubers, or wait for my
> husband to take time from work to drive me to the places that comprise my
> life. We moved to our neighborhood in part because of the accessibility and
> connectivity of the #20 bus. Please don’t eliminate the current route.
>
> "I have mobility limitations and the 20 is the only bus that goes down my
> street and is the only bus stop in the area less than a 10 minute walk
> away. It is my commute bus to and from work!"
>
> CM Baron, you mentioned that the City of Seattle has reduced its funding
> for Metro bus service. As I understand, in 2019 Seattle paid for 350,000
> service hours annually. In 2020, during the pandemic, Seattle reduced its
> payment for service hours to 140,000. Now, in 2024, Seattle is still only
> paying for 140,000 service hours, even as bus ridership is rebounding from
> the pandemic. So the City of Seattle is now in arrears for 210,000 service
> hours annually. If lack of funding is a critical factor, then KC Metro
> needs to clearly state that maintaining bus service for the south half of
> the Bus20 Route requires that the City of Seattle pay for an additional X
> service hours [What is the cost of a service hour currently]. If the City
> of Seattle is responsible for this unfortunate situation, then the public
> needs to know and the public needs to pressure Seattle city officials to
> pay their fair share.
>
> You say this is a done deal. But why? Our data shows that we clearly have
> a transit emergency looming because of a flawed process and the proper
> response is acknowledge the errors and take emergency action to prevent the
> harm. You have 2 months to prevent this emergency.
>
> We now need to communicate with the Bus20 users from our list for whom we
> have email addresses (480+). I suspect they will be as distressed as we are
> at the impending harm.  We will need to discuss together what other course
> of action we might have.  If you have any suggestions for a further course
> of action, please let us know.  If our above reasoning is flawed, please
> let us know.
>
> Below are resources that we referenced in our presentation.
>
> Sincerely,
>
> Neighbors Helping To Save Bus Service
>
> Jim Little
> Ted McMahon
> Arvia Morse
> Rosanne Olson
>
> Our Video
> <https://drive.google.com/file/d/16-4M99CKxj81LLsIGqznF-l3YKCKO5y0/view?usp=sharing>
>
> Video Content in a Document
> <https://docs.google.com/document/d/1a7oO2f9sd_Fg_xXeov83LFe_qRif2J_qMLR1L1t19Qg/edit?usp=sharing>
>
> Our Save Bus 20 List
> <https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/17_fYHb0oXPWa51GlUniYCU7CGT6MwtQNVY456Pt4I58/edit?usp=sharing> with
> >1100 Bus Users (email addresses deleted)
>
> Our Census Tract, Block Group Analysis
> <https://coda.io/d/_dXZwYy09A9d/Bus20-Termination_suoLt>
>
>
>
> On July 9, 2024, "Manahan, Clara" <clara.manahan at kingcounty.gov> wrote:
>
> Hi all,
>
>
>
> Thank you again for meeting with us today to discuss the upcoming deletion
> of Route 20. As discussed on the call, I have attached a copy of the
> meeting chat. While the Lynnwood Link Connections project updates are
> already underway, I look forward to continued conversations on transit
> connections in East Wallingford in the future.
>
>
>
> Take good care,
>
> Clara
>
>
>
> *Clara Manahan *(she/her)
>
> Policy Advisor  | Community Liaison
>
> King County Councilmember Jorge L. Barón
>
> 516 Third Avenue, Suite 1200 | Seattle, WA 98104
>
> 206-263-2213
>
>
>
> *This email and any response to it constitutes a public record and may be
> subject to public disclosure.*
>
>
> On Jul 9, 2024, at 9:36 AM, Cecelia Black <ceceliab at dr-wa.org> wrote:
>
> And skip woodlawn?
>
> *Cecelia Black*
> Seattle Transit Organizer, Disability Mobility Initiative
> <http://www.dismobility.com/>
> pronouns: she/her
> <image001.png> <https://www.name-coach.com/cecelia-black>
> Disability Rights Washington <http://www.disabilityrightswa.org/>
> 425-359-5256 (cell) | ceceliab at dr-wa.org
> 315 5th Avenue S, Suite 850 | Seattle, WA 98104
> Donate to support our work <http://www.donatetodrw.org/>
> Learn about Week Without Driving <http://www.weekwithoutdriving.org/>
>
> *From:* Transit <transit-bounces at transitriders.org> *On Behalf Of *Dave
> Schuldt
> *Sent:* Tuesday, July 9, 2024 6:30 AM
> *To:* Katie Wilson <katie at transitriders.org>
> *Cc:* Doug Trumm <dmtrumm at gmail.com>; transit at transitriders.org
> *Subject:* Re: [Transit] Termination of Bus 20 Route
>
> I learned that there has been talk of moving the 62 off Kirkwood to Latona.
>
> Dave Schuldt
>
>
>
>
>
> On Jul 8, 2024, at 3:34 PM, Katie Wilson <katie at transitriders.org> wrote:
>
> Thank you all for the thoughtful responses. I replied to Jim Little and
> said we might be able to reinforce their message with a letter from TRU. If
> anyone wants to draft something up, please do! I can try to get the GC to
> approve at our meeting tomorrow, or we can wait for the MM next week.
>
> I also suggested we might be able to help with an action alert, especially
> if they have contact info for all the people who signed their petition—
> getting a bunch of those people to send a form email could help get some
> more attention.
>
> Katie
>
> On Jul 8, 2024, at 2:44 PM, Doug Trumm <dmtrumm at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> I think deleting Route 20 sets a bad precedent even if it's relatively top
> of the list if you absolutely had to cut in Seattle. As the letter
> mentions, it leaves a pretty significant swath in the Latona corridor that
> will have no bus route within a half-mile walk, made worse by the I-5 chasm
> obstructing the walkshed of the bus routes to the east. A bus route within
> a half-mile of every residential block is a bar the agency could be able to
> clear, especially in Seattle, given the population density. Maybe we could
> live with losing Route 20 (although Stephen Fesler did make a pretty good
> argument for keeping it
> <https://www.theurbanist.org/2023/01/31/metro-unveils-lynnwood-link-bus-restructure-concepts-in-an-austerity-redux/>),
> but what bus routes would be next? Is Metro managing decline or serious
> about ridership growth and improving service?
>
> Stephen also argues the agency's service guidelines are not being followed
> and outmoded anyway
> <https://www.theurbanist.org/2023/08/26/op-ed-metros-alarming-latest-bus-restructures-illustrate-the-need-for-reform/> to
> allow such cuts. They should require the agency to offer some sort of
> coverage in this proposed service gap. Even if Route 20 is underperforming
> by Seattle standards, it'd be a pretty good performing route next to some
> in the burbs.
>
> All in all, I'd be in support of signing on to the letter or adapting a
> similar version to signal our opposition to Metro's managed decline
> approach. Metro might think this cut makes sense in their equity framework,
> but it betrays a lack of vision to solve for their shortage of
> labor/service hours and make it so no one has to suffer such a severe cut.
>
> -Doug
>
> On Sun, Jul 7, 2024 at 1:53 PM Wes Mills <wesmills at wesmills.com> wrote:
>
> That’s the same thing I’ve heard from Metro people.  Apparently the south
> end of the 20, past Northgate, is sparsely ridden and has been sparsely
> ridden as far back as it being the 26.  So in our current era of “not
> enough drivers”, Metro can’t swing it.
>
> I’m one of the people who is cheesed off about us cutting service,
> especially since we seem to keep cutting bus service in, around, and
> through Northgate when we do a train station opening.  Essentially the ask
> is “do you want the 61” (the Lake City Fred Meyer to Greenwood Fred Meyer
> via Northgate route that we *should* have gotten at the Northgate Link
> opening) or “do you want the 20."
>
> I wish we would keep the 20 on the route map so we could add frequency
> later, which would induce people to ride it more.  But Metro seems
> unwilling or unable to do that.
>
> I’ll read over their letter when I get home tonight.  Are they asking us
> to sign on as well?
>
> On Sun, Jul 7, 2024, at 11:52, Dave Schuldt wrote:
>
> Low ridership at least on the south end from what I’ve seen.  Some of the
> service can be covered by the 45 & 62 with a longer walk.
>
> Dave Schuldt
>
>
>
>
> On Jul 7, 2024, at 11:35 AM, Katie Wilson <katie at transitriders.org> wrote:
>
> Just in. Any thoughts?
>
>
> Begin forwarded message:
>
> *From: *James W Little <littlejamesw at hey.com>
> *Subject: Termination of Bus 20 Route*
> *Date: *July 6, 2024 at 11:48:44 PM PDT
> *To: *contact at transitriders.org
>
> Hello TRU,
>
> I'm one of several neighbors who are dismayed that KC Metro is cancelling
> the #20 Bus Route and not continuing service to the south half of the route
> from Northgate to U-District west of I-5 through Licton Springs, Green Lake
> and East Wallingford.  We've reached out to Seattle City Council Members
> and King County Council Members without any resolution.  We've contacted KC
> Metro leadership and requested a meeting but they've not responded to our
> request.  Our last hurrah is to contact KC Executive Dow Constantine in
> hopes that he can reverse the harm that will result if this bus service is
> not replaced.  *HERE*
> <https://docs.google.com/document/d/1BzdGNi9TF6f2T31YdYudq9mbAIHcQJcbMFLx9VvPjQo/edit?usp=sharing> is
> our draft letter to Constantine.  We would appreciate any suggestions that
> you might have on our letter or on strategy.
>
> Thank you,
>
> Jim Little
> Neighbors Helping To Save Local Bus Service
>
>
> _______________________________________________
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>
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>
>
>
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>
>
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>
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